Corn-harvester



(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. L. LAMONT.

CORN HARVESTER.

No. 378,551. Patented Feb. ,28, 1888.

l iw@ wir fl Y INVENTOR:

mw i BY www@ ATTORNEYS.

(No Model.)

l 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. L. LAMO-NT.

CORN HARVESTER.

No. 378,551. 'Patented Feb. 28, 1.888.

INVENTR I ATTORNEYS.

4 sheets-sheet 3.

(No ModeL) J. L. LAMONT.

CORN HARVESTER.

No. 378,551. Patented Feb. 28, 1888.

, INVBNTOR WITN SSES i ATTORNEYS.

(No Model.) i 4 sheets-sheet 4L J. L. LAMONT.

CORN HARVESTER.

No. 378,551. Patented Feb. 28, 1888.

A WITNESSES:A y mvsNToP.: o" @a .m QZ Jann/nati ATTORNEYS.

'Unrrnf STATES PATENT rrrci.D

CORN-HARVESTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 378,551, dated February 28, 1888. Application filed February 18, 1887. Serial No. 228,101. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J Essa L. LAMONT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Atkinson, I-Ienry county, Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Corn-Harvesters, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part thereof, inrwhich- Figure l is aplan View of my improved machine, a part being broken away to show more clearly thepinion on the inner roller. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of the same on the line x 00, Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a detail rear View of the same, parts being broken away to'show the carrier-belt. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view on theline y y, Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional View through two pairs of the rollers, their shields and the nger-carrying belt, and the supporting-rods and the finger-separating rods. Fig. 6 is a detail perspective View of a portion of the roller carrying frame, the supportingwheel at the outer side of the same, and the adjusting mechanism therefor. Fig. 7 is a detail view of portions of the frame which carries the drivingwheels, adjustable rollercarrying frame, and the devices for adjusting the latter with regard to the former. Fig. 8 is a perspective View of the main frame and part of the roller-carrying frame, showing the means for adj listing the latter frame with respect to the former.

The object of my invention is to provide a corn-harvesting machine which is capable of simultaneously removing the ear from the stalk and husking it, the hushed ears being pushed rearward and delivered to an elevator or conveyer mechanism which will deliver the ears to a wagon or other suitable receptacle.

The invention will first be described, and then specifically pointed out in the claims.

A represents the main frame, consisting of the inner and outer side bars A A the front and rear end bars A2 A2, and the intermediate longitudinal bar, AX, on which is journaled the axle a, carrying the drive-wheels a a and the gear 0.2. In rear of the gear a2 and meshing therewith is mounted the pinion a3, the shaft of which also carries asprocket-wheel, at.

B represents the adjustable frame, consisting of parallel outer and inner side bars B5 BG and a rear cross-bar, this frame being conadjustable on the former, by the mechanism shown in Figs. l and 7, where the guide-bar A3 is apertured, as is also the recessed end of the inner side bar of the frame B to receive the pin A4. The outer side of the frame B is supported by means of the wheel b, which is journaled on a block, b, which may be adjusted vertically in the slotted guide C, the arms of which are passed through a vertical dovetail recess in the outer side bar of the frame B, the side bar and arms being apertured to receive the bolts c, as shown in Fig. 6. The block b is provided with a dovetail clamping-plate, b2, which embraces the guide C below the frame and is adj ustably connected therewith by means of the set screws b3, which pass through the ends of the clamp and bear against the inclined sides of the guide C, as shown also in Fig. 6.

The frame B is adjusted vertically at its inner side by means of an elbow-lever, F,which is fulcrumed to a support attached to the rear part of the inner side bar A of the frame A. To the short arm of the elbow/lever F is hinged the end of a connecting-rod, H, the other end of the said rod being connected to the inner side bar of the frame B. rlhe elbow-lever F is held in any desired position by the detentlever I, which engages with the toothed rackbar J, attached to the side barA, whereby, by depressing the long arm of the said lever, the rear inner corner of the frame will be raised and held in any desired position by means oi' the detent and toothed rack; but the forward end of the frame B must be raised by hand and the pin A4 inserted in the proper apertures according to the height desired, andthe outer side of the frame B must be raised or lowered by iirst adjusting the guide C, when all minor adjustments of the wheel may be effected through the medium of the adj ustable block b and its clamp and setscre-ws.

IOO

The forward end of the adjustable frame B is open, and near the rear end thereof is attached a crosspiece, N, in bearings upon which revolve the rear parts of three pairs of horizontal iluted or ribbed rollers, O. The forward ends of the rollers O are tapered, and the tapered ends of th'e outer rollers revolve in bearings on the rear ends of the guides P, which incline outward, and are attached at their forward ends to the bolts or arms Q at the inner side of the forward ends of the side bars of the frame B. These bolts or arms Q also pass through the slotted inclined frames R, which have a free movement thereon and in inclined recesses in said side bars. (See Figs. 1 and 2.)

Thetapered forward ends of the inner rollers of the side or outer pairs revolve in bearings in the upturned forward ends of the longitudinally-extending guide-rods T, which are secured at their rear ends to the rear end of the frame B; To the forward ends of each pair of the said rods T are secured the rear ends of the V-shaped guides S, the forward ends of which project in front of the rollers to guide the cornstalks into the space between the middle pair of rollers, and, in connection with the guide P, also guide the eornstalks into the spaces between the outer pairs of rollers during the forward movement of the machine.

The rear ends of the rollers O are provided with the bevel-pinions Y, the teeth of which mesh with the teeth of the larger bevel gearwheels,W, attached to the shaft Xin such position that the rollers of each pair will be revolved toward each other at their upper sides in opposite directions to draw the cornstalks that pass in between the said pairs of rollers downward. The shaftX revolvesin bearings attached to the rear part of the frame B and extends at its inner end within the frame A, but is not connected thereto. The inner end of the shaft is provided with a sproeketwheel, Y, which is connected with the sprocket-w heel a4 bythe chain Z, as shown in Fig. l.

The upper sides of the rear parts of the rollers O are covered by the plate T, and projecting from the front edge of this plate are the curved shields O', which are secured at their front ends by means of their projecting arms O2 to the upturned ends of the rods T and to the rear ends of the guides P, as shown in Figs. l and 4. The upper surfaces of the shields O- are each provided with a longitudinal guide-rib, O2. The spaces between the adjacent edges of each pair of shields and their ribs form troughs to receive the ears of corn, as will be more fully explained hereinafter.

The shaft X is provided between the toothed faces of each pair of gear-wheels YV with a plain roller or pulley, X', and the smaller gears,

Y, are covered by rearward extensions of theplate T', for a purpose to be presently explained. The shaft X is'further provided with three pulleys, e, between the plain faces of the gear-wheels W, the said pulleys being of much stessi less diameter thanthe gear-wheels. Pulleys f Aare journaled loosely on short shafts g, which are secured in the upturned ends of the rods T, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4. The pulleys f are somewhat larger than the pulleys e. Endless belts h pass around the pulleys e f and travel over and between the inner and the outer pairs of rollers O, the belts being provided with blocks to which are hinged the fingers i, which extend across the spaces between the several pairs of shields O', so that they will, when carried rearward by their belts, draw the ears rearward over the plate T as far as the gears WV, when the ears will pass to the plain wheels X', which are in a somewhat lower plane than the plate T', and the said wheels X will cause the ears to pass over them into and through downward-inclined chutes K to the endless carrier L, carried by pulleys 6 and 7, journaled to the rear cross-bar of the frame B. The pulleys e, sprocket-wheel Y, and the intermediate gearing between said wheel and axle are so proportioned that the endless belts 7L will be moved rearward at the same rate of speed as the machine moves forward, for. a purpose to be presently described.

As the fingers i pass between the gearwheels XV, they are folded toward each other, as shown in Figs. l and 3, and after passing said gear-wheels they hang down, as shown in Fig. 4E; but when they reach the forward pulleys, f, they are forced apart by means of the converging downward-curved ends t of the rods t.- The said rods extend rearward,where IOO they are bent back upon themselves and passed through thesupporting cross-bars u, supported above the plate T by uprights u', secured to the side bars of the frame B.

The shaft X has secured to it a bevel gearwheel, 1, which meshes with a bevel-pinion, 2, mounted on a short shaft, 3, journaled in the bar B2 and provided on its outer end with a pinion, 4, meshing with a pinion, 5, on the inner pulley-shaft of the carrier. The inner end ofthe carrier L delivers the ears upon an endless conveyer or elevator, M, passing around pulleys journaled at the opposite ends of the inclined frame M. The frame M is supported at its lower end by two rods, M2, one only being shown, (see Fig. 3,) pivotally connected at their ends to the carrierframe and frame M', so that when the frame B and its parts are raised the elevator or conveyer frame will also be raised and the disengagement of the gearing prevented. The lower under edges of the frame M are provided with a slotted box, M3, through which the bolt 10 from the frame A passes to firmly secure and support the upper part of said frame M in its adj usted position. I would also state that in practice the several guide-posts A3 are all curved forward on arcs concentric with the sprocket-wheel a, so that the relative positions of the sprocket-wheels at Y will not be changed when the frame B is adjusted.

The conveyer M is driven from the pulley IIO 6 by means of a belt, 8, extending around the pulley 9 on its lower pulley'shaft, as shown in Fig. 3.

The upper and lower ends of the inclined sliding frames It have shafts r journaled therein, and around pulleys on the outer ends of said shafts pass the endless belts R,which are provided with a suitable number ofspikes or teeth. The upper shafts r also have inner pulleys, r', around which and pulleys r2 on the rear shaft, X, pass the endless belts RZfor operating the toothed belts R.

R3 is a spring-pressed belt-tightening pulley mounted in a suitable bracket on the frame B, one being provided for each belt R2, so that as the frames R move upward the slack ofthe belts R2 will be taken up. The lower pnlleyshafts r also carry the loose wheels R, which run on the ground.

The machine,having been first properly adjusted,will operate as follows: The cornstalks will pass between the pairs'of rollers, which are in practice two inches in diameter from rib to rib, and the rollers of each pair being five-eighths of an inch apart. 'Ihe space between the adjacent edges ofeach pair of shields O is in practice one and one-fourth inch, so as the rollers draw the stalk downward they will firmly grasp the stem and the husks adhering thereto,and as the butt of the ear rests on the edges of the shields the ear will not onlyT be forced from the stem, but it will be husked at the same time. I would state here that I have demonstrated by a working machine thepracticability of the abovedescribed construction. The ears of husked corn will now rest in the trough or space between the shields7 the distance between each pair of shields being in p racticeless than the diameter of a small ear of corn-that is to say, about an inch and a quarter--as before stated. The ir gers t' will now push the ears rearward over the plate T to the plain wheels X,overwhich they pass to the carrier L, as before described.

r The fingers t' will assist the entrance ofthe stalks between the rollers, as they steady the stalks and do not incline them rearward, but hold them in vertical positions. This is due to the fact that the belts move rearward at the same rate of speed as the machine moves forward, and by thus holding the stalks in a vertical position the ears are properly presented to the husking-rollers, it being essential to the proper husking of the ears that they be presented to the rollers in as nearly a vertical position as possible, so that the rollers may grasp the stem and adhering portions of the husks and squeeze out the ears. The fingers will be separated by the ends t' of the rods t at the front of the machine, and, as the fingers pass under these rods while moving rearward, the rods will serve as guides and prevent the stalks or ears from throwing the fingers upward out of place, andthe fingers t' will also be folded as they pass between the plain faces of the gears XV at the rear of the machine, as before stated; The supporting rods or bars T will also serve to protect, to some extent, the hanging fingers on the lower sides of the belt. As the machine moves forward, the lower ends of the belts R2, carried by the rearward, inclined frames R, will engage the down corustalks at or near their roots and raise them, so that by the time the stalks have assumed vertical positions the forward movement of the machine will have brought the guides P S over the hills or roots of the stalks, and the fingers i will now assist their entrance between the rollers and also hold them in an upright position until the ears are husked and severed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The combination, with the parallel rollers of equal diameter, spaced to grasp the stalks of the corn and the stemsand husks of the ears, and having longitudinal ribs, and mechanism for rotating them in opposite directions toward each other, ofthe curved shields over the rollers, spaced to prevent husk ed ears from falling between the rollers, and provided with longitudinal guide-ribs, and the endless belts having the laterally'projecting fingers extending across said guide-ribs over the spaces between the shields, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with the rollers spaced to grasp the stalks of corn, the stems of the ears, and the adhering husks, and mechanism for rotating the rollers toward each other in opposite directions, and the shields above the rollers spaced to allow the rollers to husk the ears and then receive the husked ears within the trough formed between and above them, of the endless belt having fingers projecting across said trough, a driving mechanism, a shaft having a pulley around which the said belt passes, and gearing, substantially as described, connecting said shaft with the driving mechanism, said pulley and gearing being relatively proportioned to move the belt rearward at the same rate of speed as the machine moves forward, substantially as set forth,

whereby the stalk will be held verti'cal whilev being drawn downward between the rollers while the ears are being simultaneously stripped and husked.

3. In a cornhusking machine, the combina tion,with the main frame open at its frontend and the husking mechanism carried thereby, of forwardly apd downwardly inclined elevator-frames mounted at opposite sides of said open front end and movable freely in the direction of their lengths, pulleys journaled in the ends of said frames, and the wheels Rt, journaled at the lower ends of said frames,and

ICO

endless toothed belts on said pulleys,and means for operating said belts to raise Idown stalks, whereby the said frames will rise and fall according to the inequalities in the ground, sub stantially as set forth.

4. The combination, with pairs of rollers and gearing for rotating the rollers of each pairin opposite directions toward each other, of endless belts traveling between the pairs of rollers and having ngers projecting laterally beyond their opposite sides and-extending into or across the spaces above each pair of rollers, substantially as set forth. Y

5. The combination, with the rollers and their operating mechanism, of an endless belt having hinged outwardly-extendingfingers extending across the space between and above the rollers, and rods or bars above the belt and converging at their forward downward-curved ends to separate and throw the fingers out-- wardly at the front upper side of the belt, substantially as set forth.

6. The combinatiomwith the pairs of rollers and mechanism for rotating the rollers of each pair in opposite directions toward each other, of the endless belt having hinged fingers extend-.ing across the opening between and above the rollers, and the longitudinally-extending rods or bars extending from the rear end of the belt forward and curved downward and joined at their forward ends to form separators and guides for the fingers above the belt, substantially as set forth.

7. rllhe combination,with the frame open at its front end, the pair of longitudinally-extending rollers journaled therein, and mechanism for rotating them in opposite directions toward each other, of the inclined slotted frames having a free sliding movement at the opposite sides ofthe forward ends of the frame, the bolts extending through the said slots into the said forward ends, spiked or toothed endless belts carried by said frames,aud means for operating said belts, substantially as set forth.

8. The combination of the frame B, open at its front end, the shaft X, journaled'near the rear end thereof and having the pairs of gear-wheels XV, and pulleys e between each pair of gear-wheels and of less diameter than said wheels, the pairs of rollers O, having pinions V, meshing with wheels W, thelongitudinallyextending rods or bars T, having pulleysf at their upturned forward ends, the endless belts -L on said rollers and having fingers i, extending over the spaces between the pairs of rollers, the guides P for the outer rollers, the guides S, and the chutes K, leading rearward from between each pair of gear-wheels WV to receive the ears from spaces above each pair of rollers, substantially as set forth.

9. The combination, with theframe A, having the axle a and drive-wheels a a', and the guide posts or bars A3, of the vertically-adjustable frame B, sliding on the said posts A3 at its innerside, the vertically-adj ustable guide C at the outer side of the frame B, and the adjustable wheel b, clamped thereto, the stripping and husking rollers O on the frame B, and the shaft X, for operating said rollers and driven indirectly from the axle a, substantially as set forth.

l0. The combination, with the frame A, having the drive-wheels, of the vertically-adjustable franie B, open at its front end, the rollers O, having pinions V at their rear ends, the shaft X on frame B and having the gearwheels W, meshing with the pinions V, the pulleys e between each pair of wheels V, and the plain wheels X between the wheels W' of each pair, the pulleys f, supported at the front ends of the rollers between theinner and outer pairs thereof, the endless belts h upon the pulleys e f and having the fingers z', folded by the wheels Win the rearward movement ot' the belts, the chutes K behind plain wheels X', and the plate T', covering the rear parts of the rollers O and the pinions V, substantially as set forth.

11. The combination, with the frame A, the wheels a', and axle a, of the vertically-adjustable frame B, the harvestingrollers,-the operatingshaft X at the rear end of the frame, intermediate gearing between the shaft X and axle a, the carrier Lat the rear end of the frame B to receive the ears from the rollers, the elevator or conveyer frame M', rods M2, connecting said frame to the carrier-frame, the slotted box M3 on the under side of the frame M', bolt 10, passing through said slot and the rear bar of frame A, and the gearing operating the carrier and elevatorbelts from thc shaft X, whereby when frame B is adjusted the operating-gearing will not be thrown out ofgear, substantially as set forth.

12. The combination, with the frame B, open at its front, the shaft X, the rollers O, belts h,

`having lingers t', and the operating` mechanism, of the vertically-sliding inclined frames B, the pulley-shafts r, the endless spiked belts B', the belts R2, passing from shaft Xto upper pulley-shafts on frames R, and the tensionpulleys R3, for automatically taking up slack in belts B2 when the frames B move upward, substantial] y as set forth.

JESSE L. LAMONT. Vitnesses:

SoLoN C. KEMON, GHAs. A. PETTIT. 

